kilowatt kid eco-elf living! · reusable water bottle stainless steel is best. plastics #2, #4, and...
TRANSCRIPT
your local
guide to
zero waste
sustainable
lIving!
GUIDE 2018
KILOWATT KID
ECO-ELF
CAPTAIN ZERO WASTE
GREEN STAR
WONDER WORMY
Dear Eco-Cyclers and our entire Boulder County Community,Here’s a fact for you: The way we produce, consume and dispose of our “stuff” and our food is responsible for 42% of U.S. climate pollution. That’s a huge part of the climate problem we can address through Zero Waste. Clearly it is our collective role and responsibility to push the Zero Waste solution as far and as fast as we possibly can.
This Eco-Cycle Guide is intended to be a tool to help us do that. Inside you’ll find everything you need to know to strive for Zero Waste whether you’re at home, at school, at work, or out on the town. Boulder County has a goal of achieving Zero Waste (or darn near) by 2025. We can get there. In this guide, you’ll learn about some of the progress we’re making, such as:
NEW UPGRADES made at the Boulder County Recycling Center that will allow us all to recycle more types of plastics (see page 8).New Partnerships being forged between Eco-Cycle and other social enterprises to take hard-to-recycle materials and turn them into jobs for folks who may have a harder time finding jobs (see page 15).New tools and resources to help us all get to Zero Waste (see page 20).
Reaching Zero Waste is going to take ALL of us. Every day. Taking action. What we do together at the local level makes a difference—here at home and as a model for the nation! Let’s do this together!
Yours in sustainability,
Suzanne (“Zan”) JonesExecutive DirectorEco-Cycle
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
LIVING IN A ZERO WASTE COMMUNITY MEANS SAYING NO TO TOSSING OUR
RESOURCES IN A TRASHCAN AS THE DEFAULT. WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR CULTURE AND
BEHAVIOR. EACH PAGE OF THIS GUIDE SHARES A CRITICAL STEP TOWARD ZERO WASTE AND
INCLUDES TIPS, TOOLS, AND IDEAS. TAKE EACH STEP AND BY THE END OF THE GUIDE YOU’LL BE HELPING TO CREATE A ZERO WASTE
COMMUNITY!
®
ZERO WASTE GUIDE
Eco-Cycle’s mission is to identify, explore, and demonstrate the emerging frontiers of sustainable resource management and climate change solutions through the concepts and practices of zero waste. we believe in individual and community action to Transform society’s throw-away ethic into environmentally-responsible stewardship.
PAGE 2
Reduce and reuse ........................ 4-5Recycling guidelines ........6-7Why did guidelines change/ Recycling tips .............................. 8Ask Eco-Elf/ recycling on The go ........................................................... 9are cartons recyclable?..... 10Dirty dozen............................................ 11compost guidelines............... 12is it compostable?.................. 1.3composting tips.......................... 14Center for hard-to-recycle materials ........................................ 15-17other resources ...................... 18-20landfill guidelines............. 21why zero waste ........................... 22social enterprise................... 23
table of contents
In the absence of federal leadership on most issues related to the environment, the way forward with Zero Waste lies with local communities, states, and businesses. That’s where the momentum and hope is building. We need YOU if we’re to be successful locally. Here are the roles each of us can play:
Businesses can step up to recycle, compost, and also review and redesign their production systems to reduce their waste in the first place.
Individuals can recycle and compost correctly, use additional facilities and tools in our community to recycle more, and reduce, refuse, and reuse. And everyone can advocate for local Zero Waste policies.
Students can learn how to help their schools be successful Green Star Schools.
Local Governments can create new rules to ensure we use our resources wisely. Volunteers are needed to be Eco-Leaders, trained to help fellow community members learn how to recycle, compost and live sustainably. Find out more about what you can do!
Contact us at 303-444-6634, www.ecocycle.org/ecoleaders, or email [email protected].
ZERO WASTE GUIDEZero Waste: The New NormalIf we are to overcome the greatest challenges ever faced by any human generation—climate change, resource depletion, plastics in the ocean, declining local economies and social injustices, to name a few— we must adopt Zero Waste as the New Normal, community by community, across the globe. “Zero Waste” means more than making recycling and composting commonplace. Zero Waste redesigns and replaces the entire production system that helped create these planetary challenges in the first place.
We are perpetually “taking” from the planet—and from people and other species—without giving back.
We take natural resources such as trees, petroleum, and metal from the earth to make our stuff, we use it, then dump those resources in landfills or incinerators when we’re finished. Then we head back to the natural resources and continue to cut them down, drill or mine them like they’re in infinite supply. Pretending that we can continue with this system in perpetuity is unrealistic and shirks our responsibility to future generations.
Our current production system goes one direction, from the earth to the dump.
A Zero Waste system is cyclical — preserving, recycling, and reclaiming resouces.
A Zero Waste system works within
the limits of our planet’s resources
and helps all species thrive!
YOU HAVE A ROLE IN CREATING A ZERO WASTE COMMUNITY!
PAGE 3
Let’s Get Started
with Zero Waste!
Zero Waste is the easiest, most cost-effective way communities can immediately start to create the change we need.
With Zero Waste, products are designed to use fewer resources, to be non-toxic, and to be reused, recycled or composted. Discards are captured and used to make new products instead of using new natural resources. It’s a cyclical system, as in nature, and works sustainably within the limits of our one planet. It also has some beneficial side effects: richer soil, cleaner water and air, local economic growth and jobs creation, and healthier food.
REFUSEAs we go about our days, ordering take-out and making stops at coffee shops, it’s easy to pick up unnecessary waste: straws that weren’t needed, paper napkins and plastic utensils, bags for small purchases, packets of soy sauce, chopsticks, to-go coffee cups and the like. These may seem like innocent gestures of convenience, but each material has its own history of resource extraction, pollution creation, extensive water consumption, and carbon impact. REFUSING these single-use, wasteful products and REUSING real stuff instead is key to truly living a Zero Waste lifestyle.
Here’s our start-up guide for what to avoid and which alternatives are healthiest.
PAPER TO-GO CUPS
Virgin paper (that means trees) can’t be
recycled; bleached with chlorine
FOAM CUPS AND CLAMSHELLS
Made with possible human carcinogens;
leaches those chemicals into food
and drinks
PLASTIC UTENSILS
40 BILLION used in the U.S. each year; made from petroleum, and are NOT recyclable
SHOPPING BAGS
Paper bags contribute to deforestation; plastic
bags decompose and can add toxins to soils,
groundwater, rivers and oceans
BOTTLED WATER
Requires more than 17 million barrels of oil per year to produce;often just tap water sold at 10,000 times
the price
The first step: reduce your use ofunnecessary “stuff”!
PAGE 4
REUSE INSTEAD!REFUSEREUSABLE
WATER BOTTLEStainless steel is best. Plastics #2,
#4, and #5 are the safest plastics.
REUSABLE BAGSLook for bags made with post-consumer recycled
materials. Bags that fold into little pouches can be easily
stored in purses, backpacks, bikes, and cars so you never have that “Darn it, I forgot
my bag!!” moment.
REUSABLE MUGSGo with stainless steel or
ceramic. Plastic mugs can leach harmful chemicals into your drink. So can
aluminum, which can be lined with the hormone-disrupting chemical and
plastic additive BPA.
ZERO WASTE LIFE HACK!
Leave mason jars in your car for
spontaneous leftover opportunities — they
can withstand the heat and the cold!
REUSABLE FOOD CONTAINERS
Stackable “tiffin” lunch containers are a fun way to bring home leftovers from a restaurant, but basic plastic or glass
containers work just as well!
PAGE 5
®
th
flatten cardboardaplane los cartones
PAPER & CARDBOARD PAPEL Y CARTÓN
PLASTIC BOTTLES, TUBS, JUGS, JARSEMPTY & RINSE, DO NOT FLATTEN
BOTELLAS, JARRAS, FRASCOS, RECIPIENTES PLÁSTICOS
VACÍE Y ENJUAGUE, NO LOS APLANE
only sturdy #5 “souvenir
cups” are recyclable
sólo los “vasos de promoción” #5 se pueden
reciclar
attach plastic screw-top capsfijar las tapas plásticas de rosca
When in doubt, give us a shout! 303.444.6634 / [email protected] tiene alguna duda, comuníquese con nosotros!
CONTAINERS EMPTY & RINSE, DO NOT FLATTEN
ENVASES VACÍE Y ENJUAGUE, NO LOS APLANE
emptyvacíe
MORE
RECYCLESecond step? Recycle it RIGHT!
ARTICULOS PLÁSTICOS
take-out containers reipientes para llevar
no foodno alimentos
hard plastic four- and six-pack holders
porta bebidas de cuatro y seís unidades de plástico
duro
plastic lawn toys juguetes de plástico para el patio
remove metal axles, all materials MUST fit inside cartremover los ejes de metal, todo el
material DEBE caber dentro del carro
buckets, handles OKbaldes, se pueden dejar las
manijas
PLASTIC ITEMS
RIGID PLASTICS
plastic tub lidsempty
PLÁSTICOS RIGIDOS
Si tiene alguna duda, comuníquese con nosotros!
plastic cratescajas plásticas
flower potsmacetas
tapas de recipientes plásticas
MORE
berry containers and other plastic clamshell containers (no foam/polystyrene; remove liner)
recipientes de frutos rojos y otros recipientes de plástico (celdas de almeja)
(no espuma; retire el revestimiento)
NEW
vacíe
food comida liquid
líquidos
plastic bags / filmbolsas / protectores plásticos
plastic cupsvasos plásticos
foam / polystyreneespuma / poliestireno
sharps, medical wasteobjetos punzantes / residuos médicos
soft six-pack ringsanillos de plástico suave de
seís unidades
scrap metalrestos de metal
explosive / hazardous materialsmateriales explosivos / peligrosos
plastic-coated paperpapel recubierto de una película de
plástico
lotion / toothpaste tubestubos de crema / pasta dental
shredded paperpapel triturado
drinking glasses, ceramicsvasos de vidrio / cerámica
frozen food boxescajas de comida congelada
latex glovesguantes de látex
NOT RECYCLABLE
MORE PLASTICS CAN NOW BE RECYCLED!
Did you notice? New materials have been added to the Recycling Guidelines!
Finally!! Berry containers and other plastic clamshells can now be recycled in your single-stream recycling! And while you’re at it, you can legally
toss in those tub lids, orange prescription bottles, flower pots and clean plastic to–go food containers (NO FOOD please!!).
Why can we RECYCLE these materials now when you used to tell us to keep them out?
Plastics used to be sorted by hand, a fairly lousy job where workers were tasked with identifying different types of plastic and sorting them into the correct bay to be sent to market. It was challenging to pick up smaller pieces (and thousands of them) from the conveyor belts and correctly sort them. But the Boulder County Recycling Center, owned by Boulder County and operated by Eco-Cycle, got a MAJOR upgrade in October, 2017. The County installed a plastics optical sorter system. Here’s what it does: As thousands of recyclables are moved on conveyor belts, a series of lasers can automatically discern the type of plastic polymer of each material, and then uses an air jet to shoot that material off the conveyor belt, into an air tube, and finally into the correct bin. As a result, we can take more types of plastic material than ever before, and they will be more efficiently sorted to earn more revenues for recycling.
three words.
plasticSOPTICAL
SORTER
before the plastics optical sorter. system ...
Important RECYCLING tips Don’t mix up recycling and composting. Recycling goes to one facility (the Boulder County Recycling Center), and composting goes to another (a commercial compost facility outside the county). Food that ends up in the recycling is a HUGE contaminant, and recycling in the compost is a REALLY HUGE contaminant. Please carefully separate these two types of materials so they wind up at the correct facilities.
Do NOT put plastic bags in your single-stream recycling.They will bind up sorting equipment.
Do not put your recyclable materials in a plastic bag.
WHY DID GUIDELINES CHANGE?
PAGE 8
SORTER
ASK ECO-ELF!
1, 2, 3 : Recycling on the GO!If you’re out and about in a place with a three-bin system (that would of course be recycling, compost, and landfill), please:
Scrape all food off your recyclable products into the compost bin, along with paper napkins and any certified compostable products.
Put clean recyclables in the recycling.
Put any remaining trash in the bin marked “landfill.”
1
23
Dear ECO-ELF,Why can’t you recycle receipts? Is it because they’re too small? If I can’t recycle them, can I compost them?
Sincerely,S J M
Dear SJM,One would think that receipts, like the kind you get at the grocery store, could go in the recycling or composting, but they CANNOT. The problem is, in most cases, receipt paper is coated with BPA or BPS, which are known endocrine disrupters. For that reason, they need to stay out of recycling AND compost, and go to the landfill instead. Or even better, “Skip the Slip” and avoid having your receipt printed. Green America has a new Skip the Slip campaign aimed at getting companies to avoid printing receipts if the customer doesn't want one, and at adopting new receipt technologies and practices. Learn more at GreenAmerica.org. If your company uses receipt tape, purchase tape that doesn’t have a BPA coating so that it could be recycled or composted.
Dear ECO-ELF, How clean do my recyclables need to be? why do you list food as one of your biggest contaminants in the recycling bin? Is it that big a deal? Thanks,David
Dear David,Food in your recycling bin = a big deal. Your recyclables go to the Boulder County Recycling Center where people, as well as automatic sorting systems like the new plastics optical sorter, separate materials to send them to their respective markets. Those people will be up close and personal with your recyclables. Food residue on recyclables puts our workers’ health and safety at risk because of mold, pests like rodents and stinging insects, and unpleasant smells in the facility. Also, food and liquids will destroy the value of recyclable paper, and can affect the value of containers that have food residue inside. So how clean is clean? Before recycling, be sure to empty your containers by scraping out all food (into your compost bin), or pouring liquids out. Give each container a quick shot of water, shake it up to loosen any food remaining, and then recycle it.
WHY DID GUIDELINES CHANGE?
Turn the page to
find out the #1 material
people don’t know is
recyclable!
Cartons are the #1 material most folks don’t realize CAN be recycled in their single-stream recycling bin. Cartons are also a great packaging choice since they use less energy.
Cartons are made from layers of paper, plastic and sometimes aluminum. At the Boulder County Recycling Center, cartons are sorted by hand by our staffers and sent to factories in North America to become new products, including paper towels, plastic plant pots, tissues, office paper, and building products.
Our automatic sorting equipment does an initial sorting to separate containers (3-D items) from paper (2-D items). While cartons are partially made from paper, they are considered a container and are marketed as such. Please keep your cartons 3-D so they will be identified as containers.
FLATTEN CARTONS
Recyclable cartons include:
Non-dairy milk and soup broth cartons
Milk, orange juice, and other beverage cartons
Single-serving juice boxes Ice cream containers
Are Cartons Recyclable?
YES!Cool Carton Facts:
• Recycling the paper fiber in cartons results in 74% less air pollution and 35% less water pollution than producing paper from virgin fibers.
• the company rewall recycles cartons into ceiling tiles, wall panels and other materials using no glue, chemical, or water.Each truckload of ReWall building products represents about 300,000 recycled cartons.
• Cartons that contain a layer of aluminum are shelf stable, meaning the food or drink inside doesn’t need to be refrigerated, saving energy during the transport and storage of the product.
MAKE SURE CARTONS ARE EMPTYRINSE CARTONS BEFORE PUTTING IN BIND
DON’TO
Not only are cartons recyclable, they use less energy to PRODUCE!
These are NOT recyclable:
their coating renders them
non-recyclable
PAGE 11
motor oil and solvents, syringes, needles, sharps, medical waste
INSTEAD: TAKE TO THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGEMENT FACILITY
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
non-recyclable plastics (no stable markets exist for
these items)
ceramics, drinking glasses (not the same melting
temperature as recyclable glass)
frozen food boxes or ice cream containers (their plastic coatings
render them non-recyclable)
INSTEAD: THESE ITEMS MUST BE LANDFILLEDSEE LANDFILL GUIDELINES ON PAGE 21
CONTAMINATION IN RECYCLING BINS IS A HUGE PROBLEM. DO YOUR PART BY RECYCLING RIGHT!
BELOW ARE 13 (BAKER’S DOZEN) ITEMS TO KEEP OUT OF YOUR RECYCLING BIN — AND HOW TO PROPERLY DISPOSE OF THEM.
RECYCLING BIN’S
DIRTY DOZEN
INCORRECTLY PREPPED MATERIALSLIQUIDS LEFT
IN BOTTLES OR CONTAINERS
(liquids attract rodents and stinging insects
to the recycling plant; ruins paper)
FLATTENED CANS AND CONTAINERS
(difficult to separate from paper)
INSTEAD: DON’T FLATTEN CONTAINERS, AND EMPTY LIQUIDS BEFORE RECYCLING CONTAINERS IN YOUR BIN
FOOD
INSTEAD: COMPOST YOUR FOOD SCRAPSSEE FULL COMPOSTING GUIDELINES ON PAGE 12
HARD-TO-RECYCLE MATERIALS
plastic bagsbind up sorting equipment
scrap metaldamages sorting equipment
white block foam and bubble wrap
shredded paper (too small to sort)
INSTEAD: BRING THEM TO THE CHaRM TO BE RECYCLED! FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE CENTER FOR HARD-TO-RECYCLE MATERIALS ON PAGE 16
AMMUNITION OREXPLOSIVE MATERIALS
INSTEAD: CONTACT SHERIFF’S OFFICE
LANDFILL ITEMS
What STAYS OUT of the bin
is as important
as what goes
in!
These are NOT recyclable:
FOODS & PLANTS
CERTIFIED COMPOSTABLE PRODUCTS
Trust this compostable product label:
plant trimmings
PLEASE NO
paper only, no plastic coating
plantas cortadas
Estas etiquetas indican que el producto se puede compostar:
sólo papel sin recubrimiento plástico
ALIMENTOS Y PLANTAS
PRODUCTOS COMPOSATABLES CERTIFICADOS
POR FAVOR NO
No plastic-coated paper; Place these items in trash ››
No papel con recubrimiento plástico; Por favor coloca estos artículos en la basura ››
COMPOSTABLE PAPER
dark & bright-colored paperservilletas
PAPEL COMPOSTABLE
napkinspapel toallas
paper towelsresiduos del café
greasy or waxed cardboardcartón con grasa o cera
coffee grounds & filter
Si tiene alguna duda, comuníquese con nosotros!
®
papel de colores oscuros y brillantes
COMPOSTNext step?Compost your food and yardwaste!
Here’s how to know which PRODUCTS are truly compostable in your curbside bin.
PAGE 12
When in doubt, give us a shout! 303.444.6634 / [email protected]
Here’s how to know which PRODUCTS are truly compostable in your curbside bin.
IS IT COMPOSTABLE?
YES, IF IT’S A CERTIFIED COMPOSTABLE “PLASTIC.”
These labels DO NOT mean compostable.
7
PLA
If it looks like it contains plastic, it must be a certified “bio-plastic” to be safe for soils.
ASTM D6400
These labels also mean certified compostable:
Products that appear to contain plastic must be certified compostable by BPI.
ASTM D6868
must have
letters PLA
MADE FROM PLANTSMADE FROM PLANT STARCHBIODEGRADABLEOXO-DEGRADABLEBIOECO-FRIENDLYEARTH-FRIENDLYMADE WITH RECYCLED CONTENTGREEN
YES, IF IT’S A PAPER PRODUCT NOT LINED WITH PLASTIC.Many foodservice paper products are lined with petroleum-based plastics that contaminate our soils when composted.
These paper products are plastic-coated and go in the TRASH.
plastic-lined butcher or deli paper
bagassebagasse
paper only, no plastic
coating
wax paper & wax paper cups (wax will scrape off
with your fingernnail)
greasy pizza boxes
These paper products are free of plastic and can be safely composted.
Find and purchase compostable products with our time-saving tools at www.ecocycle.org/compostPAGE 13
Important tips to keep in mind when composting at the curb:
It really matters if you mix up composting and recycling. Compost goes to one facility (a commercial compost facility outside our county), and recycling goes to another (the Boulder County Recycling Center). Recycling or garbage in the compost is a HUGE contaminant that is very difficult—and in some cases impossible—to remove. Please carefully separate these two types of materials so they wind up at the correct facilities.
KEEP PLASTICS OUT! Do NOT put compost in plastic bags or put any type of plastic product in your compost. Plastic will break down into tiny pieces, sometimes even microscopic, but not fully degrade. Those tiny pieces can end up in the soil, water and eventually animals’ bodies, including humans.
Don’t compost plastic-coated products. Be sure that any product you place in the bin truly IS compostable, and not coated with plastic. See guidelines on page 13 to be sure the products you purchase meet accepted standards for composting.
Dear Wormy,Doesn’t food just biodegrade in thelandfill? Why bother composting?Your friend, Jane
Dear Jane,If you really are my friend, please give your food waste to ME, not the landfill. Here’s why: Landfills are designed to prevent water, oxygen and sunlight from entering, so while biodegradable things like food and paper do break down, they do so VERY slowly and without oxygen. In the absence of oxygen, methane is produced, which is a potent greenhouse gas that has 84 times more heat-trapping power than CO2. So putting food in the landfill actually contributes to climate change! Give ME your food waste (and paper towels, and yard scraps), and I’ll turn it into healthy soil that actually pulls carbon down out of the atmosphere and counteracts climate change. THAT’s why they call me WONDER WORMY!!!
Your friend, WW
ASK wonder wormy!
The City of Longmont has an “opt in” curbside compost program.
Sign up today! Call 303-641-8416 or visit www.LongmontColorado.gov/solidwaste.
Compostables are also accepted at the 140 Martin Street Waste Diversion Center during staffed hours.
throwing food in the trash releases methane.
compost instead!
Please DO compost these: Meat, bones, eggshells, dairy, paper towels and napkins. If it was alive in your lifetime, it can be composted.
LONGMONT RESIDENTS:
You can sign up to compost at
your home!
PAGE 14
Blue Star Recyclers:Recycling electronics, empowering peopleOur partnership with Blue Star Recyclers helps address two challenges: less than 20% of electronic waste is recycled and more than 80% of people with disabilities are unemployed. Blue Star Recyclers employs adults with disAbilities such as autism. Its workers have a particular ability for electronics recycling, including an aptitude and attitude for careful, detailed, repetitive work. Their work is the best in the industry. Blue Star Recyclers is now on site at the CHaRM. By working together, we are responsibly recycling more electronics in Boulder County and creating six good jobs for adults along the autistic spectrum.
Spring Back
Our mattress recycling partner is Spring Back Colorado. They recycle
mattresses and also provide redemptive employment and a chance to rebuild lives for people facing barriers to employment. Between 20-40 million mattresses end up in landfills each year in the U.S. Through Spring Back, mattresses and box springs are broken down into individual components, of which 90% are recycled or repurposed.
The key to creating a successful CHaRM? Synergistic local partnerships.
Most of the materials we collect become the feedstock for fellow non-profit social enterprise organizations to fulfill their missions. Here’s a snapshot of just three of the materials we accept and
what it empowers a local partner to do.
The CHARMCreating a Ripple Effect of Community GoodYou’ve recycled your cans, bottles, glass and paper, but what about your electronic items, busted appliances, big block foam (aka Styrofoam), cooking oil, plastic bags or that old mattress? Those are items for the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder CHaRM (Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials). This model Zero Waste facility, the first of its kind in the nation, accepts 24 categories (and counting!) of hard-to-recycle materials (see the full guidelines on page 16).
The CHaRM doesn’t just keep
materials out of a landfill, there is
a ripple effect behind almost every material we accept!
ASK wonder wormy!
PAGE 15
Go beyond curbside bins.
There’s more TO
recycle !
Book Reuse & Recycling:Promoting Literacy Efforts Through the Children’s Used Book Partnership, Eco-Cycle donates books to children in need who now get to enjoy the magic of reading and story. Eco-Cycle partners with more than 40 local charities that serve Boulder County families and promote literacy efforts, such as Attention Homes, Boulder County Head Start Program, Casa de la Esperanza, People’s Clinic, Emergency Family Assistance Association in Boulder, and SCOPE International, which provides books to children in Africa. Books are also donated to Boulder County preschools and 47 local schools that participate in Eco-Cycle’s Green Star Schools program.
Colorado Transforming
Lives by Recycling
Mattresses
Computers & Electronics TVs & Monitors Mattresses & Box Springs
Mobile Phones, Office Phones, Tablets & Cameras
Printer Cartridges
White Block Foam Packaging with a #6 (AKA Styrofoam®)
Bubble Wrap & Foam Packing Sheets
Plastic Bags
Bikes & Bike Parts
Big #2 Plastics
Yoga Mats
Scrap Metal
Small Appliances
Books & Manuals
Copy Machines, Printers & Fax Machines
Large Appliances
Porcelain Sinks &Toilets
Cooking Oil
We can pick these materials up from your business too! 303.444.6634 · [email protected] www.ecocycle.org/charm
6400 Arapahoe Rd. Boulder, co-located with ReSource—see Recycle Row map on p. 19 Open Mon – Sat: 9 am – 5 pm ; Closed Sundays · www.ecocycle.org · 303.444.6634These materials are accepted at the CHaRM only. (Fees apply) Please do not put them in your curbside recycling bin.
Paired Reusable Shoes & Textiles
Plate Glass Windows
See fees and guidelines on
next page
CENTER FOR HARD-TO-RECYCLE MATERIALS® | City of Boulder
RECYCLE at CHaRMthe
Eco-Cycle CHaRM • 6400 Arapahoe Rd. Boulder • Open Mon – Sat: 9am – 5pm • ecocycle.org/charm • 303.444.6634
Funded in part by City of Boulder trash
tax dollars.
PAGE 16
CENTER FOR HARD-TO-RECYCLE MATERIALS
ELECTRONICSPrices subject to change. Check website for current rates.
Audio Equipment• Home Stereo Parts• Car StereosNO speakers with wood or particle board
Computers & Equipment• Monitors• Towers/CPUs• Printers/scanners• Laptops• Tablets• Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS)• Large misc. computer equipment (more than 40 lbs)• Keyboards, mice, cables Printer Cartridges • Ink jet and laser jet printer cartridges
Copiers & Fax Machines• Fax Machines• Desktop Copiers• Large Copiers (over 40 lbs)
Phones• Mobile Phones• Office Phones• Home Phones
Small Electronic Items• Tablets, iPads, iPods • Digital Cameras• Video Game Systems
TVs, VCRs & DVD Players• TVs 19” or smaller• TVs 20” to 34”• Consoles, TVs larger than 34”• VCRs/DVD Players• Satellite Boxes
SMALL PLASTIC APPLIANCESPrices subject to change. Check our website for current rates.
• Must have cords or batteries• Includes handheld/small (rice cooker size), medium (vacuum size), large (carpet steamer size), and extra large (20 lbs.+) plastic appliances NO vacuum bags, glass (coffee pots, blender carafes, etc.), or food/liquid residue Have metal appliances? See Scrap Metal listing
HARD-TO-RECYCLE PLASTICSPlastic Bags, Plastic Bubble Wrap, Thin, Bendable Foam Packing Sheets• Includes plastic shopping bags, newspaper bags & ziplock bags • Must be clean, dry and emptyNO moisture, receipts, food waste in bags, biodegradable plastic, tape, or packing peanuts
Big Durable #2 Plastics • Large plastics marked with a #2 such as plastic play structures, plastic lawn furniture, plastic watering cans, clean #2 plastic buckets (no residue), clean plastic barrels, crates, rigid backyard kiddie pools and plastic trash containers with a #2Please remove non-plastic parts (metal handles on buckets OK) NO flower pots without a #2, inflatable pools or other inflatable plastics, water beds, chew toys, CD jewel cases, small toys such as action figures, etc.
#6 White Block Foam*No facility fee for residential quantities• Packaging and rigid foam insulation only• Businesses: $6/cubic yardNO packing peanuts, polystyrene (Styrofoam®) cups/to-go boxes, moisture or tape
MISCELLANEOUSBicycles & Bike Parts • Any condition• Includes integral parts such as seats, pedals, etc., and metal accessories such as baskets and pannier racks NO other accessories or sporting goods
Bicycle Tires & Inner Tubes• Tires: $0.50 each
Books & Manuals *No facility fee • Computer & office manuals• Hard-bound books and paperbacks
Concrete• Accepted in small quantities: less than small pickup truck bed size: $.07/lbNO metal or rocks; must be clean and free of aggregate
Cooking Oil NO motor oil or any oil used for purposes other than cooking
Fire Extinguishers• City of Boulder residents with ID: no charge for this item• Non-Boulder residents: $7
Mattresses & Box Springs• Standard spring or futon mattress, any size: $17.50• Box spring, any size: $17.50• Memory foam mattress, any size: $24
• Mechanical bed: $36.50• 100% foam mattress toppers: $8.75• Bed bug-infested mattress or box spring: $32.50**Bed bug-infested items MUST be sealed in plastic and taped closed prior to delivery• NO mattresses or box springs with mold
Plate Glass Windows • Includes windows, patio doors, shower doors, picture frame glass, glass tabletops, glass block, tempered glass, insulated glass• Cracked and broken panes are OK• Window without jamb: $3.00/unit• Window with jamb: $8.00/unit• Door without jamb: $12.00/unit• Door with jamb: $20.00/unitNO glassware (drinking glass, dishes, etc.), mirrors, Pyrex (food containers, microwave dishes, measuring cups), canning jars, or bottles and jars
Porcelain Toilets, Sinks & Urinals• Toilet, all non-porcelain materials removed: $6.75/unit• Toilet with non-porcelain materials attached: $12.75/unit• Sink or urinal: $3.50/unit; with plumbing attached: $6.50/unit• Ceramics by weight: $0.07/lbPorcelain must be clean. NO biohazards
Reusable Shoes & Textiles • Paired, reusable shoes (no mud)• Clothing, sheets, blankets, towels and fabrics
Items may be stained or ripped, but must be clean. Must be 12” square or largerNO bathing suits, socks, underwear, rugs, carpet, curtains or pillows
Yoga Mats• Plastic foam, rubber foam and jute yoga mats: $1 Mats must be clean NO badly soiled, stained or smelly mats, tatami or grass mats, or rugs or carpet
PAPER SHREDDING SERVICE• Paper materials only• $10 per file box (banker box) full of paper
SCRAP METAL*No facility fee ITEMS THAT ARE AT LEAST 50% METAL, including appliances• Items without Freon®: NO CHARGE• Items WITH Freon® (air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers): $15NO propane tanks or canisters of any kindREMOVE fuel caps and lidsDRAIN all liquidsHave a tank or cylinder? Visit our website for details.
OTHER MATERIALS ACCEPTED AT THE CHaRMSingle-Stream Recycling*No facility fee See guidelines on page 6
CompostablesSee guidelines on page 12 and visit www.ecocycle.org/charm for fees
There is a $3 FACILITY FEE for every vehicle visiting the CHaRM to recycle materials. Exceptions are noted.*
GUIDELINES AND FEES FOR MATERIALS ON PAGE 16
Eco-Cycle CHaRM • 6400 Arapahoe Rd. Boulder • Open Mon – Sat: 9am – 5pm • ecocycle.org/charm • 303.444.6634
®
RECYCLE at CHaRMthe
PAGE 17
KEY: Recycling center
Yard Waste center
Scrap metal
Longmont Waste & Tree Limb Diversion CenterSee Longmont Waste Diversion Center next page.140 Martin St.Hours vary, 303.651.8416
NiwotAt Trailhead N. of Hwy. 52 on N. 79th St.
Erie1000 Briggs St.Next to Public Works Building. Open 24 hours, 303.926.2731
Nederland Transfer Station286 Ridge Rd. East of Peak-to-Peak Hwy303.258.7878Yard Waste: Open May–Oct
Superior Yard Waste Recycling2125 Honey Creek LaneOpen year roundWed 4-7Sat & Sun 8-12, 1-5303.499.3675
28th
St.
63rd
St.
Broa
dway
Hwy. 36
Hwy. 7
Hwy. 119
Arapahoe Ave.
Peak
toPe
ak H
wy.
James Canyon Dr.
Left Hand Canyon Dr.
Pine
Hwy. 119
Hw
y. 2
87
1st Ave.
Stat
e H
wy.
42So. Boulder Rd.
Hwy. 66
Mar
tin
75th
St.
Hwy. 36
Foot
hills
Pk
wy.
Hw
y. 9
3
Ridge Rd.
See Boulder Recycle Row Detail Map next page
Louisville Leaf Drop-Off Site: Louisville Sports Complex1200 Courtesy Road (the ball field complex off of State Highway 42) Oct 16 - Nov 22 daily from 7:30am - 3pm Seasonal. Contact: 303-335-47500
Louisville Branch Recycling SiteNorth side of Cemetery on Hwy. 42 & Empire Rd. Call for hours: 303.335.4733
AllensparkBoulder County Waste Transfer Station and Recycling Center State Hwy. 7 & County Road 84303-747-2107Yard Waste: Open year-round, Mon, Wed, Fri from 10 am - 4 pm
Lyons426 Railroad Ave.East of LibraryOpen dawn to dusk720.564.2220
BOULDER COUNTY RECYCLING AND RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITIES
more facilities that will help you go for Zero Waste!
PAGE 18
Arapahoe Rd
Butte Mill Rd.
Railroad Tracks
Railroad Tracks
6
3
1
2
4
“Recycle Row”
in BoulderStaz
io
Ball
Fiel
ds
Eco-CycleCHaRM
ReSource
63rd
St.
Western Organics Transfer Site
Hazardous Materials Management Facility
Recycling Center
Yard & Wood Waste Drop-O� Center (Western Disposal)
5
RECYCLE ROW IN BOULDER1
2
3
4
5
6
Facilities to help you practice Zero Waste
Single-stream recycling— accepted 24/7. See pages 6-7 for guidelines.
ACCEPTED DURING STAFFED HOURS ONLY: Automotive and Rechargeable Batteries: Includes motorcycle and boat batteries. NO alkaline batteries.
Compostables Drop-Off: See page 12 for guidelines.
Cooking Oil: Must be in see-through plastic containers (gallon milk jugs or the origi-nal plastic containers or box cooking oil comes in).
Motor Oil & Antifreeze: Must be in separate see-through one-gallon containers (gallon milk jugs work best). Must also be securely capped and cannot be contaminated with other fluids. Other chemicals (paint, solvents, etc.) are not accepted at this site.
Plastic Bags: Includes plastic shopping and newspaper bags. Must be clean, dry and empty. NO moisture, receipts, or food waste inside bags, biodegrad-able plastic, tape, packing peanuts or foam wrap.
Scrap Metal: All types of scrap metal. NO fencing, pressurized containers, electronics, appliances containing Freon®.
Shredded Paper: See bin marked “shredded paper.” NO bagged material.
#6 White Block Foam: #6 White block foam packaging and rigid foam insulation only. NO packing peanuts, Styro-foam® cups or “to-go” boxes, moisture or tape.
Yard Waste: Tree limbs, branches, bushes and un-bagged leaves. Non-residents
and contractors will be charged a fee. NO trash, plastic bags, lumber, sod, dirt, rock or split rail fence material will be accepted.
Free self-service mulch is also available at the Longmont Waste Diversion Center.
Call for more information about the City of Longmont’s:• Paper shredding events• Hard-to-recycle collection
events for CHaRM items • Large bulky items collection • Household Hazardous
Chemical drop-off days and yard waste collection events
ReSourceAccepts and sells new and used building materials in good shape.6400 Arapahoe Rd. (co-located with Eco-Cycle CHaRM)Mon–Sat 9–5; Closed Sundays | www.conservationcenter.org/resource | 303.419.5418
Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder CHaRM: Center for Hard-to-Recycle MaterialsAccepts hard-to-recycle materials and scrap metal for recycling. See p. 8–9 for details. 6400 Arapahoe Rd. (co-located with ReSource)Mon–Sat 9–5; Closed Sundays | www.ecocycle.org/charm | 303.444.6634
Boulder County Recycling Center & Boulder Drop-off CenterSee page 6 for materials accepted. Shredded paper also accepted separately.1901 63rd St. | Drop-off open 24 hours. | 720.564.2220 • 303.444.6634
Boulder County Hazardous Materials Management FacilityDrop-off and reuse for hazardous materials such as paint and solvents.1901 63rd St., west of (behind) Boulder County Recycling Center.Wed–Sat, 8:30–4 | www.bouldercounty.org | 720.564.2220
Western Organics Transfer Sitewww.westerndisposal.com | 303.444.2037
Boulder County/City of Boulder Yard & Wood Waste Drop-off Center at Western DisposalCity of Boulder residents can drop off yard waste at no charge.5880 Butte Mill Rd.Mon–Fri, 7–5, Sat 7–2 | www.westerndisposal.com | 303.444.2037
LONGMONT WASTE DIVERSION CENTER140 Martin St. 303.651.8416 | www.longmontcolorado.gov | Preguntas? Llame a 303.243.5820 Hours vary. Visit website for details. Please check in at the window and bring a current utility bill indicating the Waste Management Fee.
The City of Boulder is going for Zero Waste!Visit zerowasteboulder.com for more info.
Longmont Waste & Tree Limb Diversion CenterSee Longmont Waste Diversion Center next page.140 Martin St.Hours vary, 303.651.8416
Erie1000 Briggs St.Next to Public Works Building. Open 24 hours, 303.926.2731
BOULDER COUNTY RECYCLING AND RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITIES
PAGE 19
local zero waste resources
See websites for full details including hours of operation, locations and fees.
U-Fix-It Clinics, sponsored by Eco-CycleFree hands-on repair clinics for electronics, toys, applianceswww.ecocycle.org/ufixit
Boulder County Hazardous Materials Management Facility (HMMF) Free gently-used home products www.bouldercounty.org
Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder CH aRM: Center for Hard-to-Recycle MaterialsDonate textiles, bookswww.ecocycle.org
ReSource & Tool Library Reclaimed building materialswww.conservationcenter.org/resource
Art Parts Creative Reuse CenterGently-used art supplieswww.artpartsboulder.org
PACE: Partners for a Clean EnvironmentExtensive free energy and water conservation tools and services www.pacepartners.com For residential energy and water conservation services www.energysmartyes.com
Center for R eSource ConservationConsultations, tools and services for water and energy conservation; includes resources for residentswww.conservationcenter.org
Eco-Cycle CH aRM on the Road ServiceCommercial hauling for hard-to-recycle items (see pages 16-17 for a list) www.ecocycle.org
City of Boulder’s “Zero Waste Boulder” websiteExtensive Universal Zero Waste Ordinance toolkits and resourceswww.ZeroWasteBoulder.com
ECO-CYCLE A-Z RECYCLING GUIDELearn how and where to recycle 200+ items in Boulder County and the Denver metro areawww.ecocycle.org
CU-Boulder Environmental CenterWide range of sustainability services and ways to get involvedwww.colorado.edu/ecenter
See a business that needs help getting going with the Universal Zero Waste Ordinance?Report businesses, homes, HOAs, apartment and condo complexes without recycling, compost, or trash service through Inquire Boulder www.bouldercolorado.gov/zero-waste/zero-waste-report
CITY OF BOULDER RESIDENTS:
BUSINESS RESOURCESREDUCE, REUSE & REPAIR OTHER RESOURCES
A few of our partners in Sustainability & zero waste (listed above)
LANDFILLThere are tonsof resourcesfor Zero Wasters!
PAGE 20
Si tiene alguna duda, comuníquese con nosotros!
CITY OF BOULDER RESIDENTS:
OTHER RESOURCES PLASTIC-COATED PAPER PRODUCTOS DE PAPEL CON RECUBRIMIENTO PLASTICO
WRAPPERS & FROZEN FOOD PACKAGING
ENVOLTURAS Y EMPAQUES DE COMIDA CONGELADA
PLEASE ALSO TRASH: FEMININE PRODUCTS, DIAPERS, ANIMAL WASTE & OTHER BIOHAZARDSPOR FAVOR COLOQUE TAMBIEN EN LA BASURA: PRODUCTOS DE HIGIENE FEMENINA, PAÑALES, EXCREMENTO ANIMAL Y OTRAS SUSTANCIAS CON RIESGO BIOLÓGICO
NON-RECYCLABLE PLASTICS PLÁSTICOS QUE NO SON RECICLABLES
LANDFILLAvoid these materials .
theymust be
trashed!
PAGE 21
Si tiene alguna duda, comuníquese con nosotros!
®
When in doubt, give us a shout! 303.444.6634 / [email protected]
WHY ZERO WASTE?In the realm of environmental work, we are so frequently fighting AGAINST
something—pollution, the destruction of habitat, the decline of a species, etc. Often it is contro-versial and there is an entity to fight against. But redesigning our society and communities for Zero Waste gives us a chance to engage FOR something—a solution that not only prevents problems, but
works toward a better system that truly benefits ALL in many ways.
Below is just a sampling of what we get when we work FOR Zero Waste.
We create more jobs: • Recycling and reuse activities in the United
States account for 757,000 jobs, $36.6 billion in wages and $6.7 billion in tax revenues every year.
• By recycling 75% of our discards by 2030, the U.S. could create 1.1 million new jobs.
• Zero Waste activities—recycling, composting, reuse, etc.—create an average of ten times more jobs than landfills.
We build local economies: Increased recycling means more money returned to the economy. In Colorado, we throw away $265 million worth of recyclable materials—aluminum, metals, cardboard, paper and plastics—every year. These materials are valuable commodities, which could be sold for profit instead of buried in the ground. Additionally, programs like the CHaRM help support local businesses and jobs. See more on page 15.
We create a more balanced climate: • Zero Waste is one of the fastest, most cost-effective
strategies for reducing climate pollution. Zero Waste practices can be implemented almost immediately, allowing us to address 42% of U.S. climate pollution.
• In 2014, the U.S. reduced more than 181 million metric tons of carbon pollution by recycling and composting, the equivalent of taking over 38 million passenger cars off the road for a year.
• Widespread use of compost on grazed lands and other landscapes is proving to be a powerful tool to draw down excess carbon in the atmosphere and store it in soils.
We conserve natural resources:• For every can of garbage you
produce, there are 87 cans worth of waste that come from industries that make your products and packaging, including timber, agricultural, mining and petroleum.
• Recycling one ton of aluminum reduces 2.7 tons of solid waste related to mining, extraction and virgin material manufacturing.
We keep our oceans clean: • One-third of plastic pollution in the ocean is beverage bottles
that could have been recycled. This waste could be prevented in the first place by not buying bottled beverages.
• Globally, only 14% of plastics are recycled. By radically improving recycling, we could recycle 50% of plastics, and an additional 20% of plastics could be reused. The remaining 30% needs to be fundamentally redesigned to be recyclable.
Zero Waste is about more than just keeping stuff out of landfills.
We conserve energy:Every year recycling and com-posting in the U.S. save enough energy to power over 25 million U.S. homes for a year.
HERE’S WHYZERO WASTEIS SOIMPORTANT!
Zero Waste is about more than just keeping stuff out of landfills.
Eco-Cycle fills a community need for Zero Waste services and programs using mission-based business activities, including hauling recyclable and compostable materials from businesses and innovating and operating Zero Waste facilities such as the Boulder County Recycling Center (BCRC) and the Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM). We then use revenues from these activities to fund our Zero Waste operations, education, outreach and advocacy work in the community.
Our mission-driven approach has led to many “firsts” for Boulder County.Using the social enterprise approach, Eco-Cycle pioneers and invests in creative new ways to serve the community. As Boulder County’s non-profit recycling processor, marketer and educator, Eco-Cycle has chosen to use revenues to help Boulder County become a Zero Waste leader.
This has enabled us to lead the way with many “firsts.” Just a few examples include:
Eco-Cycle is a non-profit, mission-based social enterprise that uses revenues to build Zero Waste communities.
A social enterprise uses business strategies and principles to meet a social or environmental mission.
What does that
mean?
First in the state to accept materials such as paperboard, milk/juice containers, many plastics, block foam, yoga mats, big durable plastics, etc.
One of the only communities in the nation to continuously accept glass.
First to create the “Block Leader Program,” now called the “Eco-Leader Program,” a network of trained volunteers who change the recycling and composting behavior of the community through peer-to-peer education.
First comprehensive “A-Z Recycling Guide” listing more than 200 materials and where they can be recycled, whether through Eco-Cycle or other programs; this guide is now emulated throughout the nation.
First hauler to collect compostablES from businesses, making ours the first community to provide such a service to businesses and sparking more haulers to follow suit.
first facility of its kind in the nation, the Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials accepts more types of materials than any other.
first comprehensive Zero Waste schools program in the U.S.Eco-Cycle’s Green Star Schools program First to host
electronic recycling collections in the state.
PAGE 23
Help us spread this information! Become a volunteer Eco–Leader, the greatest Zero Waste hero of all!
If you can’t stand to see resources go to waste, we need YOU. We’ll train you, give you resources and tools to help you spread the Zero Waste word. Then you just go be YOU. . .in your neighborhood, school, business, book club, etc. and make a difference right where you are.
Learn more at www.ecocycle.org or email [email protected].
Support for printing this guide provided in part by:City of Boulder Trash Tax Dollars
Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled paper.
®
P.O. Box 19006Boulder, CO 80308
CHANGE OF SERVICE REQUESTED